Facts and Statistics: Sexual Health and Canadian Youth
Sexually Transmitted Infection Rates
The most extensive and reliable data on sexually transmitted infections (STI) among Canadian youth is for the reportable STIs (i.e. STIs for which individually diagnosed cases are reported to public health authorities. These STIs are HIV, Chlamydia, gonorrhea, and Syphilis).
While we have national data on the reportable STIs, it is important to note that other STIs, most notably human papillomavirus (HPV) and herpes simplex virus (HSV) are without doubt more common than the most common of the reportable STIs (Chlamydia).
Because Chlamydia is both a reportable STI and can result in significant negative health outcomes when undetected and undiagnosed (e.g., pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility, chronic pelvic pain), it serves as an important indicator of adolescent sexual health.
Reported rates likely only represent a fraction of the actual prevalence of Chlamydia among Canadian youth
It is important to note in examining Chlamydia rates that the majority of cases are asymptomatic and therefore are very often never diagnosed and subsequently never reported to public health authorities (Public Health Agency of Canada, 2005).
As a result, the reported rates likely only represent a fraction of the actual prevalence of Chlamydia among Canadian youth. Reported Chlamydia rates are highest among females aged 15-19 and 20-24 and, thus, the rates for these groups are presented here.
As indicated in the table below, the reported Chlamydia rate among 15-19 and 20-24 year-old females declined from 1992 to 1998, but from 1998 to 2002 the rate increased every year.
Although some of this rise is likely attributable to increased testing of teens and young adults, it is unlikely that increased testing accounts for the entire rise in reported Chlamydia rates.
Patterns of sexual risk behaviour are also likely contributors to the increase in Chlamydia rates (Public Health Agency of Canada, 2005).
Reported Genital Chlamydia Rates Per 100,000 Among Canadian Females Aged 15-19 and 20-24, 1992-2002
| 15-19 | 20-24 | |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | 1412.1 | 1225.6 |
| 1993 | 1355.0 | 1194.2 |
| 1994 | 1215.5 | 1131.8 |
| 1995 | 1111.1 | 1060.2 |
| 1996 | 997.1 | 956.7 |
| 1997 | 971.3 | 924.1 |
| 1998 | 1063.7 | 1011.8 |
| 1999 | 1138.3 | 1064.6 |
| 2000 | 1234.3 | 1175.7 |
| 2001 | 1255.1 | 1233.4 |
| 2002 | 1362.0 | 1376.6 |
Source: Public Health Agency of Canada (2005). Canada Communicable Disease Report , Volume: 31S2.
Last Modified: October 12, 2006
